'Jinx Hits LANUS Week

16 SEP 1980 STU1E1Tw No. 222 Leap Day 1980 Free ExpulsionSTUDENTS for those who can’t pay Forty Overseas students were expelled from the Polytechnic THROWNon Monday, after they had failed to meet the final deadline for OUT the payment of their academic fees. At least sixteen of the students are Iranian, and have been Enquiry refused unable to pay because of the confusion that exists in their country. Since the deposition of the Shah, the status of students already studying in Britain has been in some doubt. There used to be a great variety of sponsorship schemes to enable Iranian students to come to Britain, but since the Islamic revolution the Iranian Government has taken over the financing of these students. They have already agreed to emergency fund of £500 and had finance the majority of the 150 no reserves to call on to help even Iranian students at the Polytechnic, the 16 students who have asked for but a few remain in doubt about help. their future. The Education Department will 90 students were excluded from readmit the students as soon as lectures on 25th January and given they get a written pledge from the until last Monday to pay their fees Iranian Government that the fees or be expelled. Only the sixteen will be paid. So far the Embassy has Iranians have approached the Union not been forthcoming and says only Executive for help and the identity that money is on the way for some Geoff Brighton of the rest is unknown. of the students. Lord Hoyle ‘This is the most Mr. Mrvos described the The University Vice aspect of the whole affair” saia behaviour of the Embassy as By Hugh Bateson Lord Boyle also pointed out that Union President Stevan Mrvos, “I “chaotic” Chancellor, Lord Boyle has Student Health had given medical wish these students would come “We’re trying to put pressure on refused to instigate an enquiry certificates to four homosexuals forward so that we can help them”. the Embassy and the Council in recent years, without putting the Mr. Mrvos has alerted NUS Education Department to act justly into the Geoffrey Brighton an enquiry the impression would be fact on the forms. President Trevor Phillips to the and honourably”, he said. affair. Speaking at a public given that the University thought He said, too, that the University plight of the Iranians, and both Meanwhile the Iranians who meeting in the University that there was an element of guilt would be writing to the nave been in contact with the have now lost their status as in the case. Department of Education and Iranian Embassy. Mr. Mrvos has students face the possibility of Union on Wednesday, he Mr. Brighton is the homosexual also approached the Director of being deported at any moment. revealed that the decision had student who has been refused a Science complaining about the Education on Lee.ds City Council, Many of the students affected been made by the University medical certificate until he has seen wording ot the certificate. One Mr. Stuart Johnson, with a view to are in their final year of study and Council last week. He said, a psychiatrist. He is demanding a question refers to “abnormality of establishing a moratorium on the the uncertainty of their present “I can not see that either the full enquiry into the conduct of personality and behaviour”. Lord expusion of students whose fees position, combined with their two Doctors at Student Health, Dr. Boyle suggested that this be are beyond their own control. exclusion from lectures and classes past record of Student Health, or changed to “psychological Mr. Mrvos explained that the over the last five weeks has their conduct in this case gives Ryan and Dr. Fraser during the suitability” Polytechnic Union only had an grounds for a full enquiry”. affair. damaged their academic prospects. He said that if there were to be Lord Boyle denied that a Mr. Brighton however, was far student’s sexuality was a deciding from satisfied with Lord Boyle’s factor in admissions policy, and speech. He said that the new stressed that homosexuality was wording was much worse than the not regarded by the University as ofd, a medical matter, he said, “It gives doctors a carte-blanche ’Jinx hits LANUS week “Not only is homosexuality not to excercise prejudice” he said. The second half of the Leeds to have some kind of jinx on Union Executive full praise, they a disease, but it is not in itself a He rejected totally Lord Boyle’s Area NUS Week of Action has it” did a marvellous job at some events. form of lesser mental disorder or claim that he had not been referred met with the same fate as the After a LANUS Executive I’m very pleased with how they moral fault”. to a psychiatrist simply because he meeting on Monday, Mr. Peel said have assisted. In the past they have He refused to answer the charges is homosexual, pointing out that first, as one event after that he believed that one of the put very little into the Area, but I made by Mr. Brighton and his he was released by Dr. Ryan and another has been poorly reasons why the week met with so now believe we have full supporters, though, that matters then recalled after the Doctor had attended or cancelled. As little success was that the Area did co-operation”. of a non-medical nature should not examined his medical file, LANUS General Secretary not get full co-opration from the It has been suggested by appear on medical files, “During the examination John Peel said, 12 colleges in Leeds. However, he members of LANUS Executive that “We cannot prescribe what a there were no signs of abnormality pointed out that some of the the whole idea of demonstrations doctor puts on records. I am not or Dr. Ryan would not have let me ‘The whole event seemed colleges had their own internal and occupations is out of date, and prepared to make a comment on go. I was passed as fit, and then problems to deal with, particularly that students cannot now be what Dr. Fraser included in a file”. recalled when they looked at my the Polytechnic, and could’nt give mobilised as they were in the 60’s. He said that he was convinced file”, he said. as much support as they would Speaking of the future of that Mr. Brighton had not been He rejected too, the claim that As today is February 29th, and have liked to. LANUS, Mr. Peel said that he referred to a psychiatrist simply he would be at risk as a teacher Another factor that concerned thinks changes are necessary, but because he was a homosexual, but from pupils, he said, people bom today don’t have him was that many students do he added, because he faced “risk” from pupils “That is an utter insult drawing many birthdays, we would like to not realise how the cuts are “I’m not in favour of sweeping as a teacher in the future. He said on a stereotyped image” affecting them. He condemned this changes, changing things slowly gets that there was a difference between Mr. Brigthon said that he would wish those of you with a birthday attitude as “selfish and short a better result”. the two, be pushing forthe University Charter sighted”. One idea being discussed is the “I am absolutely clear that in to include a clause against today Mr. Peel was pleased, though, setting up of a consortium to help good faith Student Health did think discrimination on the grounds of HAPPY BIRTHDAY. with the way the University Union the smaller colleges with getting there was a distinction. Not all sexual orientation. It already had co-operated, good contracts for gaming machines homosexuals are regarded as being condemsn discrimination on the “I must give the University and supplies. at risk”. grounds of sex, creed, or colour. I n s i d e Ghosts - pages 6 and 7 Letters - page 4 The Rose - page 8 UNIVERSITY LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS LEEDS A ~ n ~ r t / - Page 2 LEEDS STUDENT - 29th February 1980 LEEDS STUDENT Union prepares 29th February 1980 for hardship The National Union of seems to be organised by an outside Students is preparing to suffer By Ben Huston political group”. a series of financial blows, The financial situation is not which could threaten its this is so” she said. helped by the continuing uncertain Who’s next? activities, according to a The growth in the trend to ty about subscriptions. Another It has taken some time to happen, but at last the first strong report in the Times Higher disaffiliate is also worrying NUS, special conference last weekend action has been taken against Overseas students who cannot pay Education Supplement this “It affects our finances, but failed to find a scheme on which their fees, the Polytechnic has run out of patience and expelled week. what is worrying us more is that it everyone could agree. them. The precedent has been set, and it is likely that the same Demand thing will happen more and more in the future. The most serious shock is a The really sad thing is that students who have spent two or demand from the Customs and three years studying in the knowledge that a worthwhile qualifi Excise Department that the NUS should pay VAT at 15% on its total Help detainees cation awaited them now can do nothing but see that time and subscription income, which is more effort destroyed, through no fault of their own.

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